Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 13 c. 1897 - 1910

This is Willem Witsen’s, "Abklatsch van de krijttekening op pagina 13," currently held at the Rijksmuseum. Witsen, who lived from 1860 to 1923, worked during a period of significant social and artistic transition. The piece is incredibly minimal, almost to the point of being unseen. What can be seen are smudges and remnants of a process, alluding to the labor, and indeed the identities, involved in art making. What stories are held in the original drawing that created this trace? What narratives are embedded in the act of reproduction? Witsen might ask us to think about not just the art, but the processes and people behind its creation. In its quiet way, the piece challenges the traditional idea of the artist as a singular genius. Instead, it suggests a network of actions and perhaps even collaborations, drawing attention to the often-unseen efforts that underpin artistic expression. It’s a subtle reminder that art exists within, and emerges from, a web of human interactions and practices.